A solar panel (also called a “photovoltaic panel”) is an electrically interconnected assembly of solar cells used to generate electric power from sunlight that are mounted within a protective case. Owing to the relatively low power output efficiencies of current commercially available solar cells, several solar panels are typically required to generate a meaningful supply of electricity for use in commercial and residential applications. The panels are relatively large, heavy watertight structures and must be firmly secured to the building structure so as not to damage the structure itself or disrupt the watertight integrity of the roof. This is typically accomplished through the use of a plurality of mounting brackets or other mounting assemblies that connect the panels directly to the roof structure. In addition to firmly supporting the weight and size of the panels, the mounts must also allow the panels to be efficiently positioned to receive sunlight and must further be strong enough to withstand the adverse climatic elements that the roof itself must endure all year round, including high-winds, snow, ice, leaves and branches, etc.
Solar panels for residential use have been commercially available for decades, but only recently have solar cells become sufficiently power efficient and cost effective to compete with more conventional energy sources. Although the power savings resulting from a solar panel installation may not be realized for many years, the interest in solar energy has only grown in recent years and this has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of solar panel installations to residential homes and commercial buildings. To keep up with the busy demand for such installations, there has been much thought regarding the speed and efficiency of the installation process, including the tools and hardware used to install such a solar panel array to a roof structure keeping in mind the necessary safety requirements and local building codes. An important area of interest in this regard is the mounting assembly itself that is used to mechanically secure the panels to the roof structure.
The mounting assembly is arguably the most important component of the installation because each mount must provide a strong, watertight connection to the roof, must be adaptable to accommodate the greatest number of roofing structures and surface materials, should be low-profile, low in cost, and perhaps most importantly should be quick and easy to install and provide consistent predictable results. The speed for installation of these mounts is important because usually many of them have to be installed. A typical residential solar panel installation will require several mounts to be secured to the roof structure, so the time required to install a single mount becomes an important indicator in determining the time required to complete the installation project. The quicker to install one mount, the less time required to install many mounts. As to be expected, there are several different types of roof-mount assemblies commercially available today, but many appear to be complicated, costly and apparently require a relatively long time to install.
To illustrate some of the benefits of the present invention, an example of a commonly used prior art roof mounting assembly 10 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 (labeled “Prior Art”). For this example, a roof 36 is shown including composition tiles 37, a protective layer 38 (tar paper), a support layer 39 (plywood) and framing rafters 40. Of course other types of mounts and other roof structures exist. The assembly 10 shown in these Figures is commercially known as a “FastJack” (a registered Trademark of Professional Solar Products, Inc.) and is available from Professional Solar Products, Inc., a company located in Oxnard, Calif.
As shown in the “Prior Art” Figures, the FastJack includes a machined-aluminum mounting block 12, a lag bolt 14, a coupler 16, a flashing element 18, a rubber sealing boot 20 and a connector bolt 22 used to attach a rail 24 to the coupler 16, as described below. Mounting block 12 is made from solid aluminum and includes a counter-bore 25 for receiving both the lag bolt 14, which is used to secure the mounting block 12 to the roof 36, and the coupler 16, which receives the connector bolt 22 to connect the rail 24 to the assembly 10. Coupler 16 includes external threads 26 at one end and a threaded bore 28 at an opposing end. The threaded bore 28 is sized and shaped to engage the threads of the connector bolt 22, whereas the external threads 26 selectively engage the threads 27 formed within the counter-bore 25. The flashing element 18 is somewhat conical in shape, with an integrally formed flat base 30 and an open upper end 32 defining a rim 34. When installed to a roof, flashing element 18 is positioned around the mounting block 12, coupler 16, connector bolt 22 and the lag bolt 14, with flat base 30 securely nestled under upper tiles or shingles 37, as shown in FIG. 3 (Prior Art). Rubber sealing boot 20 is also conical in shape and includes a lower end 42 opposing and an upper end 44. The lower end 42 is secured along the rim 34 to form a watertight seal. The upper end 44 includes an opening 46 that is sized and shaped to snugly receive the coupler 16 and thereby form a second watertight seal.
The following steps describe the installation of a mounting assembly 10:    1) Locate and mark the location of the roof rafters 40, for example by using a stud finder and chalk lines;    2) Mark the location on the roof for each mount, for example by using a measuring tape and chalk lines;    3) Drill an appropriately sized pilot hole for lag bolt 14 at each mark; the installer must drill straight (i.e., square with respect to a surface of the roof 36) into the roof 36 and into the underlying rafters 40;    4) Position the mounting block 12 so that the counter-bore 25 aligns with the pilot hole;    5) Secure the lag bolt 14 through the counter-bore 25 of the mounting block 12 and into the roof 36 so that the mounting block 12 becomes firmly secured to the surface of the roof 36;    6) Secure the coupler 16 to the counter-bore 25 of the mounting block 12 by engaging the threads 26 to the threads 27;    7) Position the flashing 18 over the secured mounting block 12 and use a flat bar to lift composition tiles or shingles 37 located above the mounting block 12 so that the flat base 30 of the flashing 18 can be nested below the upper tiles 37;    8) Position the opening 46 of the rubber sealing boot 20 around the coupler 16 so that the upper end of the coupler 16 protrudes above the boot 20; and    9) Use the connection bolt 22 to secure a rail member 24 to the coupler 16.
The prior art mounting assembly 10 described above is made up of several interconnecting components that have to be assembled in place on a roof surface, which is typically slanted. This is difficult for an installer because the installer must keep all the parts on hand on the roof and must carefully assemble the mounting assembly in place. Parts can easily slip and fall off the roof causing delay and possibly injury. The installer doesn't want to deal with this. The quicker the installer can secure the mounts to the roof, the less time the installer has to be on the roof and the safer the overall job will be. Also, so many interconnecting parts have to be manufactured to a relatively high degree of accuracy and this can only result in potential alignment issues during assembly (on the roof) and an increase in cost of manufacture.
Applicant has recognized a need for a simple, low-part roof mounting assembly that is very quick and easy to install on a roof, yet meets all the necessary supportive and sealing requirements. Such a mounting assembly would result in a safer installation since the installer would not be required to remain on the roof for long periods of time and would not have to perform relatively complicated assembly while perched in a precarious position on the roof.